


Honoring Her

by goldenwing57



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: Apparently i suck at summaries, M/M, Maria is Shadow’s big sis, Shadow is her baby bro, Shadow mourns, Soft Boys, but not really, some Baby Shads
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:21:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26798011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goldenwing57/pseuds/goldenwing57
Summary: Shadow has an annual tradition that Sonic is only just finding out about.
Relationships: Maria Robotnik & Shadow the Hedgehog, Rouge the Bat & Shadow the Hedgehog, Rouge the Bat & Sonic the Hedgehog, Shadow the Hedgehog/Sonic the Hedgehog
Comments: 19
Kudos: 106





	Honoring Her

**Author's Note:**

> The anniversary of someone close to me passing away is coming up in a few months and it somehow got me thinking, "What does Shadow do for Maria on the anniversary of her death?" Then, my hand slipped.

_Two more days._

"Shadow? Shads, you still with me?" Shadow barely registered the hand on his shoulder. 

"Yoohoo, Mobius to Shadow!" The hand waving in front of him snapped him back to reality. He blinked and shook his head.

"My apologies. I was… checking something."

"You do realize your screen is blank, right?" Shadow looked down at the phone in his hand. So it was. His vision became filled with blue and emerald green as his partner stepped close to him.

"Shads, are you ok? You've been zoning out ever since your party yesterday. Is something on your mind?"

Shadow tucked his phone back into his quills. "It’s nothing."

_Nothing you can help with._

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." He would have to be, for now.

"Alright, then." Sonic shifted the grocery bag in his arms. "Race ya home? Winner gets to pick the movie!"

"We are NOT watching another rom-com!" Shadow adjusted his own bag as his skates hissed to life. A second later, the two were off.

They ended up watching another rom-com.

_At least the commentary is a good distraction._

\-----

Contrary to what Shadow might've tried to say, Sonic knew exactly what he was doing.

As they sat down to the movie that (much to Shadow’s chagrin) Sonic had picked, Shadow handed Sonic a plate. About a week before, he had come across a new recipe for tacos that he had been wanting to try. Date night was as good a night as any to do so. As the movie started, Sonic took a bite.

Sighing in delight, he leaned over and pressed a kiss to Shadow’s cheek. "My compliments to the chef, as always."

Shadow chuckled. "I'm glad you like it."

Sonic rolled his eyes. "Please. Do you ever cook anything that's not delicious?"

"There was that eggplant…"

"I thought you said not to talk about that!"

"You asked."

When the movie started, a brief, yet companionable silence fell between them. Sonic cast a sidelong glance at his partner. Shadow may have been wearing a small smile, but his eyes still showed traces of whatever was bothering him.

_Hopefully, this'll help with whatever's on your mind._

No more than five minutes into the movie, Sonic had his forehead in his hands. "Why? Why would she do that?"

Shadow's smile grew the tiniest bit. _A good distraction, indeed._

\-----

The next day passed with similar incidents. 

"Shads, are you sure you're okay?"

"I'll be alright." _Soon._

"...ok."

\-----

The following day did bring a change, though not for the better.

The light filtering in through the curtains told Sonic that it had to at least be mid-morning. 

"Nnnnggghh, make it stop," he groaned. Normally, he got a response that had something to do with chaos control not being for allowing someone to sleep in or something like that, but all he got was silence. He blinked his eyes open. A folded piece of paper lay where a black and red hedgehog should've been. 

_A note? Strange._ Sonic unfolded it and read what was inside.

_Sonic,_

_Good morning. I hope you slept well. I have something that I need to attend to today, so I won't be home until later this afternoon. I'll see you then._

_Love,_

_Shadow_

Sonic set the note down. This wasn't the first time he had woken up to a note instead of his partner, but it was always before a mission that they knew was coming up, never a surprise. He found that he couldn't shake the worry that was gnawing at his chest. His eyes fell to the phone on the nightstand. 

"Maybe she can help." Before he could finish the thought, a woman's voice sounded through the speaker.

"Hey, Big Blue. What's up?"

"Rouge, it's…" He didn't know where to begin. "It's about Shadow. I can tell something's bothering him, but he won't tell me!"

He could almost hear her smile fall.

"...it's about time. I had a feeling I would hear from you today. I take it he's not home right now?"

"No." The gnawing intensified. 

"I'm not sure if that's a good or a bad thing, but here goes. Before I start, though, are you sitting down?"

"Y-yes."

"Relax, hon," Rouge said gently, "it's not what you're probably thinking. He would never do that. Trust me."

Her tone shifted back to a more serious one. 

"What I'm about to tell you, though, will make you angry. I know I was when I found out."

Sonic took a deep breath. "Ok, go ahead."

Rouge took a deep breath as well. "You know what happened on the ARK, right?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I did a little bit of research. As it turns out, it happened three days after the third anniversary of his awakening. His third birthday, if you will."

That explained a lot. Sonic's brow furrowed. 

"OK. Go on."

"I looked it up because I noticed that he seemed quieter than usual, like he was distracted."

"Sounds right."

"I had suggested he visit her grave, but there was a problem: we didn't have a location. You see, Shadow was put into stasis almost as soon as his pod was found. He… never got to go to a funeral or anything. The professor was executed before Shadow could have any meaningful contact with him." 

Sonic’s hand curled, fingers digging into the blankets beneath him. Rouge continued. 

"We searched for days, and even visited the cemeteries where any members of her family were buried, but we came up with nothing. It seems as though Maria's death was simply written off as a tragic accident and she was never given a proper grave. To make matters worse, the only other person who knew her is Commander Towers, and he's not exactly fond of Shadow. Everyone else who knew her passed away."

Sonic felt a lump grow in his throat as his breathing quickened. "So you're telling me that today is the anniversary of the day he lost his home and his family and he didn't even get a chance to say goodbye before he was tossed aside like last night's leftovers?" His eyes began to burn. "And he's been going through this alone for four years?"

"On this day, he tends to disappear for a few hours. I'm ashamed to say I don't know where.

_That settles it._ Sonic stood up and stepped into his sneakers, his expression stormy. 

"I'm going to find him. Thank you, Rouge, for everything."

"Anytime. When you do find him, well, you know what to do."

"Right." With that, he hung up and took off.

\-----

_It shouldn't be much further._

The morning air was still and quiet, save for the soft hiss of Shadow's skates and the rustle of the bag in his hand as he sped along the familiar path. Just up ahead, his destination was in sight. 

It was an open field, full of blossoms of every color. Just beyond the edge, was a cliff, where the ocean crashed over the rocks below. It was hardly frequented; one might say it was a hidden gem. It was perfect.

_Everything she ever dreamed this planet to be._

It was the perfect place for her grave. 

Just by the cliffside was a single tree under which Shadow placed his bag. His eyes took in the sight before him. Nothing had changed since the last time he had been there. He closed his eyes as a memory washed over him. 

_The two of them were looking at pictures from one of Professor Gerald's botany books._

__

__

_"Shadow, look at this one!" Maria excitedly pointed to an orange flower._

_"It says it's called Lilium bulbiferum. Wow, that one does look pretty!"_

_Maria rolled onto her back and sighed dreamily. "Grandfather says that, down below, there are fields full of all kinds of flowers. All colors, too! I want to see them someday. Shadow, promise me you'll go with me! We'll see the ocean, too!"_

_"Right!"_

"You would've loved this place," he whispered, opening his eyes as he ventured into the heart of the field. 

He picked flowers of every color he could see. He inspected each plant carefully, gently turning it this way and that. Only when he found what he deemed to be the prettiest stem did he pick it and move on.

_Though I suppose you would say they're all the prettiest, wouldn't you?_

He finished his task with a single flower that he had, at one point, learned was commonly called a tiger lily. He placed the beautiful orange bloom into the center of his bouquet and tied a bright blue ribbon into a bow around the stems before making his way back to the tree.

In the spot where he stopped, there was a large rock flanked by two smaller ones. The large one had words painted on in elegant script.

_Maria Robotnik  
August 15th, 1946 - June 22nd, 1958_

He knelt down and placed the bouquet in front of it. From the bag that he brought, he removed a photo of the professor, Maria, and himself all together and leaned it against one of the smaller rocks.

"You wouldn't believe what a year it has been." He set out two paper plates and two plastic forks.

"Do you remember Sonic? We've been together for two years, now, and we moved in together just 7 months ago." Shadow pulled out a container and opened it to reveal two slices of chocolate cake.

"As it turns out, he's a good baker. We just celebrated my birthday a few days ago and he baked the cake. I told him about your recipe in passing once, the one that involves coffee, and I daresay it was just as good as the one you always made. He even remembered to sprinkle the ground coffee on top."

He chuckled. "He also tried to keep me out of the kitchen, just as you always did. He really reminds me of you in so many ways. He's stubborn, but kind. He accepts me for who I am, and always makes sure that others see me for who I am rather than what I was made for. I'm sure you would approve."

His tone turned somber again. "I only wish that there was a way you two could meet."

Just then, the wind carried a faint whistle.

\-----

_Shadow, where are you?_

Sonic ran for almost an hour, checking all of Shadow's favorite places. Parks, restaurants, stores, he checked them all, but to no avail. 

"Come on, Shads, throw me a bone here, please!"

An image of Shadow sitting in someplace empty, alone, flashed before his mind's eye. Sonic shook his head. 

_No. Not anymore. Not if I have anything to say about it._

He pushed forward. Just a few seconds later, something in the corner of his eye made him pause. A black figure sat in front of a tree. 

_There you are._ He moved closer to get a better look. Sure enough, he could make out the upturned quills of his partner. Shadow seemed to be speaking quietly, though his voice carried slightly on the breeze.

"...makes sure that others see me for who I am rather than what I was made for. I'm sure you would approve," Sonic heard. He continued to listen as Shadow continued on with the various events that had happened in the past year, not wanting to startle him or intrude. 

"...I had to roll him up in a blanket to get him to stay in bed! I wish you could've seen the look on his face!" Before Sonic could stop himself, he let out an indignant huff. 

Shadow's ears twitched. 

_Crap. Maybe…_

"Funny, I just remembered that he's also just as bad at hiding from me as you always were," Shadow said, slightly louder than before.

_Busted._

Sonic closed the distance between the two of them and sat down next to his partner. 

Shadow regarded him with a small smile and a sidelong look. 

"I probably don't need to ask why you're here."

"I was worried about you." Shadow tried to find a reply, but couldn't. 

"Rouge told me what today is for you. I couldn't just let you go through it alone." Sonic slipped an arm around the black hedgehog. Shadow sighed as he relaxed into the touch.

"She was like - no, she **was** my sister. We did almost everything together. If I wasn't training, I was with her. She taught me as much as she could about this world. We read books and watched movies, but now, I know that they could never compare to the real thing." He closed his eyes.

"GUN wanted me to be a weapon. To them, I was another experiment. To Maria, though, I was a child, just like her. She made sure everyone knew it, too." He gave an amused huff. "You should've seen what she did when she found out I didn't have a bedroom! That was the day when I learned to never underestimate her."

Sonic listened intently as Shadow talked about his memories, from the hours spent listening to records to birthday parties and holidays. Shadow had never spoken at length about his past. Everytime Sonic caught him in the middle of a memory, the other simply shook it away and carried on without a word to signify that anything had even happened. Every word spoken in this very moment, every memory and the story that went with it, was a treasure. 

Eventually, Shadow grew quiet while Sonic simply held him, deep in thought. 

"Shads?" Shadow looked up.

"I'm going to step away. I'll be back in a second, though, ok?" Shadow nodded.

Sonic was indeed back in a second. In his hands was a single tiger lily. 

"You said these were her favorite, right?"

Shadow’s breath caught in his throat. "Y-yes." Sonic walked the final few steps and knelt down to place it beside Shadow’s bouquet. 

"Thank you for all you've done," he whispered, looking at the photo. "Thank you for loving him and for making him into the person he is today. I promise that all of us down here will do everything in our power to love him and care for him just as you would have." 

Shadow stared with wide eyes as Sonic came back to him. Try as he might, he could not get words to come to him. Sonic broke the silence when he looked down. 

"Is this the cake you saved from the party? What's it for?"

"Right." Shadow's eyes fell to the open container. "I almost forgot about it. Maria loved chocolate cake. Whenever she baked, there were always leftovers, so she and I would sneak into the kitchen at night to grab an extra slice." He lifted one slice and set it on a plate with a fork. He then placed the plate in front of the photo.

"Looking back, I'm sure the professor figured it out, but he never said anything. I was not exactly what one might call good at hiding the evidence. That skill came much later." He prepared the other slice for himself. 

Lifting it up, he asked, "I know I only brought two forks, but would you like some?"

Sonic smiled and waved a hand. "It's alright. That one's yours. I'll have some when we get home." His smile turned hopeful.

"Maybe next time?"

Shadow froze with the fork in his hand. Sonic wasn't just asking about the cake. Gazing into his eyes, Shadow heard the silent question as if it had been spoken directly into his ear.

_I know that this is important to you, so I want to be there with you and for you. May I?_

He nodded. "Next time."

The next hour was spent talking and laughing about everything that happened in the past year, with some occasional bickering when Sonic tried to add his own spin on some events. As the afternoon shifted into early evening, the two decided that it was time to go home. When they turned to leave, Shadow stopped and grabbed Sonic's hand.

"Thank you. You didn't have to come-"

"What? Of course I-" Shadow shushed him with a quick kiss on the lips. 

"-but I'm glad you did. It means a lot."

\-----

A year had passed, full of adventures and various other happenings, when Shadow found himself smiling as he set aside a third slice of cake for his annual outing. If he didn't know better, he'd have thought he could hear her voice on the breeze. 

_I'm so glad._

He looked up.

_Thank you._

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Comments and kudos are my life!


End file.
